


adieu

by stupidsexyseguin



Series: moonbeams kiss the sea [5]
Category: Hockey RPF
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-07
Updated: 2017-09-07
Packaged: 2018-12-25 00:24:48
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 741
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12024219
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stupidsexyseguin/pseuds/stupidsexyseguin
Summary: goodbyes are the worst





	adieu

**Author's Note:**

> kissing meme archived from tumblr. works in the series are unconnected
> 
> kris/flower - 5. Can’t Let Go Yet Kiss - The type of goodbye kiss when you keep leaving quick pecks on each other’s lips, but end up pulling each other back for more, which could go on for hours if one of you don’t finally pull away.

Marc never realised how hard this was. How hard saying goodbye could be.

He’s been with the penguins for 14 years, seen numerous men come and go from the roster, and this is the hardest goodbye he’s ever had to make.

He never realised what it was like to be the one leaving.

Veronique is already in Vegas with the girls, their new house already being slowly filled with 14 years of a life lived in Pittsburgh. It had been a weird, almost unsettling sensation when he’d Skype her last night from their old, empty bedroom to see all their things lining the walls of an unfamiliar house. Like everything was right and wrong at the same moment.

Estelle had happily babbled about the new friends she’d made at kindergarten, how much fun she was having, that mama was taking her to the library tomorrow for picture books and did he know that knights were in books about princesses and she was going to read all about them and why weren’t there any princess books with penguins?

It was bittersweet, hearing that she was so happy, so far away. That she would go through so many firsts away from the guys, her honorary aunts and uncles, who’d seen and been there for all her firsts since veronique found out she was pregnant.

Leaving the empty house, locking the front door for the last time, it really is the end of an era.

He isn’t surprised to find Kris sitting hunched over on the front steps, unfolding himself to stand at the sound of the front door closing. Stiffly turning to face him.

Kris is on the verge of tears, Marc can see it in the stiffness of his jaw, the uncontrolled twitching of his lips, the set of his shoulders. He looks like he’s in pain, and Marc knows he probably looks the same. He didn’t want this. None of them wanted this.

If Marc had his way he’d be a penguin for life, would retire side by side with his best friend. But he made his choice. One more shot at the cup, with his boys- his family- in exchange for taking the Vegas draft deal.

_ “It’s not the same. Won’t ever be the same. Without you at my back.”  _ Kris’ voice is wobbly and soft and Marc knows exactly how he feels. If anyone hates this move as much as he does, it’s Kris.

_ “It’s okay, mon coeur, this isn’t the end.”  _ He tries to smile, but knows it comes off brittle and empty.

_ “Feels like it.”  _ Kris smiles back at him wryly.

_ “Not like we’’ll never see each other”  _ They’ll have holidays, and summers, and the occasional game against each other. For the first time in their careers on opposite sides of the ice.

_ “You’ll be 2000 miles away.”  _

_ “And missing you every bit as much.” _ Kris laughs and a stray tear falls. Marc brushes it away, resting his hand on his cheek, fingers sliding easily into soft hair. Kris leans into it, and the tears start falling freely, catching on Marc’s thumb, sliding over his summer-kissed skin.

He brings his other hand up, so he can cradle Kris’ face in his palms. Can pull him close, press his lips to Kris’ forehead in a sign of warm affection.

Kris falls into him, wraps arms around him in a near breathtaking hold, breath escaping him in desperate little sobs. Marc feels helpless. This is never what he wanted. He knew leaving would be hard, but it wasn’t until now that he realised how much his heart was breaking at everything he was leaving behind.

He pulls back minutely so he can press another firm kiss against Kris’ trembling temple, starting a series of soft kisses down his face, across his nose and damp cheeks, pressing their noses together so that Kris has to look him in the eyes.

Marc isn’t sure when he started crying himself, but he can feel that tell tale damp itch on his cheeks, his chin, his neck.

“ _ I’ll see you in December _ .” He presses a final, tear-damp, lingering kiss against Kris’ lips. Can feel the way Kris leans into him, follows his mouth as he pulls away and lets his arms fall back to his sides.

Marc turns and walks to his rental car.

He doesn’t look back.

He doesn’t want to see the look on Kris’ face.

This is already hard enough.


End file.
